I'm back BITCHES! School sucks ass but I am here kicking and screaming to write again! God, I missed this. Now two things. One, trying something new with this chapter. I've decided to trim some unnecessary details. I feel like my writing can get overly detailed in some respects so I've tried to mitigate that. Let me know if the writing feels better or fucking worse XD. I've decided to try this with Ultimate Weapon, since the story is coming to a close relatively soon. Speaking of which.

We are actually in the final three (projected) chapters of book 1. As I eventually plan to write a book 2 the ending for this particular book will not be an explosive one, but an ending that transitions. With that said I offer my world to you, my fellow writers, to use as you see fit. I had one man PM me about writing about black widow. While Winter has taken that role already it brought to my attention that perhaps people may desire to expand on this world beyond Jaune Arc. If that is the case than by all means! Go wild and expand as you wish! Write a RWBY Ironman or Winter Solider. Go for it! I feel giddy with such a challenge. To come back to the idea that people have added their own twists and turns that I can write around and incorporate is invigorating. Not to mention that, as tough as it is to admit, I may not get around to actually writing book 2. After what happened with journey, I don't want to give any promises. For now, this is not up for adoption but it may change as time goes on.

Finally, the poll results are in! Congrats on completing part one of the voting system! With this the second round of voting can begin (That's right you read correctly). The results and changes will be viewed after this chapter. The current stories in the running will be expanded with more details, to ensure that people are aware of what kind of stories they actually are (don't want buyers' remorse here). New stories have also been added as the two stories at the bottom have been replaced with newer material, to help spice things up.

Why two rounds of voting? To ensure that fans both old and new have the opportunity to get their voices heard (so to speak). It will be months before a new story replaces Ultimate Weapon at least. Such a time frame difference leaves a lot of room for new fans to emerge. As such expect one more round of voting before things are finalized. Unlike this round, where the two least voted stories are booted, this new round will only eliminate the absolute last place story. Have fun reading!

The Ultimate Weapon Chapter 15:

Jaune grunted as he stood on a thick branch, his eyes closed and his ears twitching. Kitty gripped his shirt tightly, nervously looking down.

"Can we go now?" begged Kitty, uncomfortable staying at such a height and near such noises. Her hair was a mess due to the speeds that they were moving at.

Jaune scoffed and nodded.

"I got a rough lay of the land. There's no Grimm near us. I also smell a faint hint of smoke and chemicals."

Kitty looked confused as she looked down at Jaune from his shoulders.

"Basically, there's something near us. Shelter, probably."

Kitty yelped a bit as Jaune jumped. He dashed between the trees, uncomfortable having Kitty near the ground and close to possible Grimm. The trees were little better but they offered more protection. Grimm were basically smoky apparitions. Yet, they weighed like something several times their size. As such, trees were a no go.

"SCREEECH!"

Well…mostly.

Kitty jumped as punched a jumper (a small winged squirrel Grimm) into a tree, splattering it apart. Jaune narrowed his eyes as he came closer to the source of the smell. With a grunt he jumped from the trees. As they landed on the ground Jaune let Kitty rest her legs.

"We're going to be climbing this cliff in a minute. The damn thing is almost a mile wide so its faster just to climb it. Let me know when your legs are not sore anymore."

"They're not sore" whispered Kitty.

Jaune rose an eyebrow.

"Kid, they are definitely sore. Its not good to…ah…I see."

Kitty looked defiantly at Jaune.

"…she wants to see her mother…can't say I haven't been there before" thought Jaune.

"Alright come on".

Kitty wrap her arms around Jaune's neck and the two faced the rocky cliff. With a shink his class came out. He ignored the fact that Kitty stared at them. Jaune placed the edges vertically, so that his weight didn't slid him down and cut through the stone. They slowly climbed the rocky surface as Jaune began to intently think on their next move. Considering the closeness of the facility it was likely that it was owned by the guys who kidnapped Kitty in the first place. That or the people who hired them.

Who the actual fuck would live in the middle of nowhere? The forests of Vale were well known to be a resource center for the entire kingdom. Thanks to dust, resources like wood were easily replenished. Meat was expensive and highly regulated but no facility was in the red so to speak. Water, much like wood, was easily attainable. Metal though? The forests of Vale were teeming with veins of various ores…if you could find them.

Many tried to develop a city for themselves, intent on using the same methods to create their own laws and communities as Vale had. However, they would find themselves…in an awkward situation. After all, these communities rarely had any military and would eventually die off or simply be reabsorbed back into Vale when the going got tough. As such it was likely that this was enemy territory. Still, there was a chance that this was a logging outpost or something. As such, here was Jaune climbing a cliffside, Kitty hugging his neck and clinging to his chest the whole while. She whimpered a bit. Jaune scowled.

"Kid."

The child looks up shivering.

"You're fine. I won't drop you. But your shaking is…"

The poor eyes of Katherine Pride punched a hole in Jaune's stoic heart.

"Look" sighed Jaune "things are probably going to get worse before they get better. The world isn't nice and you've gotta toughen up so that you can survive the way you want."

The conversation seemed to distract her as she looked up at Jaune confused.

"Survive…how I want?"

"Yea."

"...that sounds stupid."

A vein throbbed on Jaune's skull. The audacity.

"Surviving the way, I want? But I just want to live with mommy and…and never see those people again."

Oh. As he neared the peak of the cliffside, Jaune explained.

"Look. Life is nothing but survival. There will be people that want to take what you have, people who will look at you and decide who you are, and others who just want to fuck you over."

"You said a bad word" the girl pouted.

"Eh, you aint my kid."

Kitty looked at Jaune as if he was a terrible adult. By all accounts? He probably was.

"The point kid, is that if you want to live the way you want, you gotta learn to survive. To take the hits and hit back harder."

"Like you?" she whispered, her eyes drifting at the metal in his hands.

"HA!" Jaune smirked "If you do it like me, you're doing it wrong. No, you have to find the terms you want to live by…mine is a little too bloody."

Kitty blinked. She chortled as Jaune used his knees to lift her body. With his left arm Jaune gave Kitty the space to climb off his body and safely reach the top. She looked surprised. She had felt they were moving differently as she talked to Jaune. She just didn't know it was faster. She clambered over and quickly shuffled away from the cliff. Jaune jumped up and landed on the ground. He looked around, letting his senses take the lay of the land.

There were birds chirping. Good. Meant a lack of Grimm.

The smell of burning chemicals was pungent now. Even Kitty was covering her nose.

"Alright."

Kitty was about to protest but Jaune already took the child in his arms. They'd be too slow otherwise.

"Let's take a look."

"I can walk" grumbled Kitty, even as she gripped onto Jaune tightly.

"You're like what? Eight?"

"I'm nine!"

Jaune shrugged.

"Point is a kid shouldn't even be out here. I'm not gonna let you walk around where you can get hurt in a place you've never been. Too many underground Grimm so I'd rather not risk it."

The kid shivered a bit, but made a focused effort to reign it in. Jaune smirked.

"Tough little brat" he thought.

Thankfully the walk wasn't a long one. Jaune and kitty made their way into the trees, having noticed that the cliffside opened up to what seemed like a road. As he walked through the leaves and branches Jaune finally saw it. A rather large building that seemed almost like an outpost of some kind. But hopes that it belonged to Vale were quickly crushed. Considering the chemical smells…Jaune wanted to bet that it did some research at the very least or at worst a chemical plant that was running off the grid. Jaune noticed a pair of guards…with F.O.H armbands.

"...oh, fuck off" grumbled Jaune.

"Bad word!" hissed Kitty.

"Will you let up on that!?"

Kitty stuck her tongue out. She couldn't see as far as Jaune could but even a child like her could see the outline of the armbands. She frowned as tears fell.

"These look like the guys who hurt…killed my dad."

Jaune blinked.

"….eh?"

Seriously? What the fuck? What use would the F.O.H have for killing this girl's father? Jaune knew that her mom was into politics…but the F.O.H so far didn't seem to have any desire for the political field. Their reputation was far too down the toilet to even attempt it. Wait…

"The F.O.H always had better resources than the White Fang" thought Jaune "it implied a benefactor of some kind…could the attack on Kitty's father be due to the benefactor rather than the F.O.H themselves?"

"…Welp time to run the old fashion way."

Kitty looked confused.

"What?"

"I ain't gonna wait around here? What's the point? The city is far away but its doable…might take a few days of constant running though."

When Jaune last checked the distance, the city was a mere speck. But considering his super human speed and endurance Jaune could literally run for days on end. He couldn't do that with Kitty but that was beside the point. The man could do distance.

"…but…"

"But what kid."

"….they have cars."

Jaune blinked and looked down. Sure enough, on the roads were vehicles blazing down the road, hidden beneath the trees.

"Well, I'll be damned" smirked Jaune.

Below Jaune were pick up trucks that had the Vale resource depot logo. These were vehicles that went out of the city to drive and pick up small but valuable resources. There was a whole major system involved, where pick up trucks would gather resources from various outposts, bring them to a single location, and load them up into a larger truck for transport. But even so, it was not unusual to find single trucks like this coming into Vale with smaller cargo.

"Kid…This could make the trip in a day sure but…there's a bit of danger doing this."

"I just wanna go home and I don't want to sleep in a forest with a bunch of Grimm."

"….fair" muttered Jaune.

Jaune climbed back into the trees and began moving further and further to the road. Along the way he described what he was going to do to Kitty. The plan was simple. They would go as far from the facility as they could, hijack a vehicle, and floor the damn thing till they reached the city. Honestly it was a great plan.

-Fifteen Minutes Later-

BOOOM!

A great plan that went to shit.

"OH FUCK RIGHT OFF!" yelled Jaune.

"BAD WORD!"

"I KNOW! NOW HAND ME THE GUN!"

The girl handed Jaune a rifle with trembling arms.

"THE SMALLER ONE! WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITH THAT!?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" growled Kitty.

With a jump the little girl grabbed what seemed like a revolver from her seat. With a haste born from fear the girl gave him the gun and Jaune shot at their pursuers. The car on their left veered into the forest, crashing loudly.

"It would be easy" grumbled Jaune "it was supposed to be easy! But NOOOOO they had to have transponders!? Who has the money for that kind of shit!?"

Transponders were basically baby towers that allowed for "short" range communication. They were brutally expensive to have and maintain. As such it was normally only made for military teams of high standing/value.

BOOM!

"ENOUGH WITH THE ROCKETS ASSHOLE!"

Jaune veered out his window of the vehicle he was driving and shot at the man aiming from the back of the truck. A brutal explosion occurred as Jaune miraculously shot inside the launcher itself, detonating its ammunition.

"You got it!" smiled Kitty.

Jaune kept a straight face as he rammed his truck into another F.O.H vehicle, driving it off the road.

"Of course," smirked Jaune.

"How the fuck did I do that?" he thought.

It had been a trial like no other. At first everything seemed fine as Jaune…relieved the men of their vehicle. It had been surprisingly simple. Hide in the bushes, fell a tree, and hop into the back of this pick-up truck. Hiding under the rolled-up canopy, Jaune and kitty were able to hide themselves from the back window. The idiots both left the car to check the back. As they exited Jaune hopped over, knocked one out with a strangle hold, than distracted the other one to do the same. Funny thing about aura, it protected the body quite well. It did not do the same for the lungs. With a quick hop and a bop the man and child hopped into the truck and drove away. It was supposed to end there. A quick drive home, maybe forty minutes tops if they were lucky as Jaune floored it.

About ten seconds into their drive a call came through the vehicle from some transponder on it. The shape and general size of the transceiver made Jaune realize it was one way, unconnected from the towers the kingdoms used for communication.

It explained a lot regarding how the F.O.H was so organized. It also explained why dozens of vehicles began chasing them through the forest not a few moments later. Perhaps Jaune shouldn't have responded with "fuck off".

PING.

"GAH!"

He regretted nothing. Jaune jumped as another bullet impacted against the back window. The spider web cracks doing little to ease his mind. The kid was in here after all.

"FUCK!" growled Jaune "out of….what the hell?"

Kitty looked up at Jaune as she gave him a grenade.

"…"

Kitty smiled.

"You're a terrifying kid."

Jaune left it at that as he gripped the grenade, wondering what to do with it. A roar of an engine brought Jaune and Kitty's attention to the Jaune's window. The F.O.H went to sneer but blinked in surprise at the sight of what seemed like a grizzly man and a child. The man rolled his window down.

"BY ORDER OF THE FRIENDS OF HUMANITY YOU ARE HERE BY!"

"He doesn't have bullets, does he?" stated Kitty.

Jaune smiled.
"You learn quickly."

"Puu! How dare!"

The man never got to finish as Jaune threw a live grenade through his window, the ping echoing through his truck. The man and his driver screamed, losing control of the vehicle. Before long they veered off, exploding a far distance away.

"How many left!" demanded Jaune.

"Two! And some man!"

"….Huh?"

The truck buckled under the weight of something landing on the hood of the truck.

"Seriously what now!"

Jaune scowled as a large man with animalistic features grinned at them. A low growl was heard as a faunus lunched to Kitty's window. The metal of the car grunted under the weight of the man, his claws digging into the metal.

"Found you."

The man reached in, smashing through the window to grab Kitty…or at least tried to. His hand merely fazed through her. His confused look only lasted so long before Jaune punched through Kitty and speared him through the head with his claws. With a jerk of his fist and a shove Jaune sent the corpse tumbling to the ground. Jaune looked in his rear-view and sighed in relief. The man's body had crumbled underneath the back tires.

"Finally" he muttered.

Thump…thump….thump, thump, thump, thump.

Jaune stared at the road. He closed his eyes with a breath and looked to the sky.

"He's running after us isn't he."

Kitty nodded.

"…..seriously what the fuck."

He looked in the rear-view mirror and watched as the freak was running on all fours. For a Faunus this was not entirely unusual. In some cases, it was even natural. The fact that he was going so fast as to pass a truck going a 120 an hour was not. Jaune grabbed the rifle and looked at Kitty.

"Hold the wheel."

"Wait!"

Jaune turned from the steering wheel as the poor kid screamed. She grabbed the wheel and held it surprisingly steady. Jaune took aim and fired. Unlike the lucky shot from earlier, this one missed by a large margin.

"…Shit" muttered Jaune.

The laughter of the Faunus became louder as he closed in, a manic gleam in his eye. Jaune narrowed his eyes and noticed something as he went to fire again, nestling in the back seat. Jaune's own dark grin came to light as he lifted up a crimson crystal lined with yellow.

Fusion dust. Jaune had worked with something of this type before, although this was considerably lesser. It was useless to Jaune in his past, as he had no aura to activate it. It was possible to detonate dust with an explosion but Jaune lacked the ability to actually do that. That and there was the fact that stabbing the damn thing was the equivalent of suicide bombing himself. He'd survive but…who wants to blow themselves up when a good old stab gets the job done just as well?

The crystal glowed as Jaune laughed and chucked the crystal in the surprised face of the Faunus chasing them. With a large explosion tinged with lightning Jaune took control of the wheel once more. With more force than necessary Jaune floored the pedal as far as it could go, pushing the truck past 170 and climbing.

"Anyone behind us now?" asked Jaune.

Kitty shook her head as he climbed out of her seat belt to look behind her. Jaune grunted as he pushed her back down.

"Seat belt."

The girl shuddered a bit as she hastily put the belt on. Jaune took a breath and looked at the scared child beside him. Kitty stared at him, the dashboard, back to him and smiled.

"We…we did it!" she stuttered.

Jaune smiled and nodded. He noticed that her stomach was starting to growl. Jaune rummaged through the passenger storage. He found some water and a candy bar, handing them to the young girl.

"Here."

Kitty took to the offered food with gusto. Jaune turned the radio on and smiled at the sound of acoustic music.

"Can't go wrong with coun-"

SKKRCH

My bestie and your bestie
Sit down by di fire
Your bestie say she wan' party
So can we make these flames go higher?
Talkin' hey now (hey now), hey now (hey now)
Iko, iko a nae
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-ney
Jock-a-mo fee na-ey (boom)

As the catchy tune echoed through the truck Jaune stared at Kitty. The girl bouncing to the song as she had changed the channel on him. Jaune sighed as he shook his head. For the next forty minutes he suffered as he listened to the most annoying catchy tunes that he had ever experienced. He killed the radio as the gates to the city of Vale finally came into view.

"Finally. We got you home kid."

"Still no sign of Ozpin" he thought.

As Jaune neared the gate a man on a megaphone echoed over.

"So…normally we let vehicles just come in but…"

Jaune stuck his head out of the car.

"But what!?" he yelled.

"….Dude your car is fucked. Why the hell would we let you in!? You could be a mercenary for all we know! Gotta register with the merc guild if you want access to the city or become a citizen. If you were a normal civilian, you wouldn't be coming through the damn military entrance. That and the truck is Vale property anyway! We should be arresting you for attempted espionage, if said attempt didn't suck!"

"I'm a student of Beacon!" yelled Jaune.

"And I'm the tooth fairy's grandmother."

Jaune rolled his eyes and took out his scroll. A beam of light hit the scroll and turned green.

"Well, I'll be damned. Alright get on in."

Jaune sighed as he shook his head. He ignored the stares as he drove through the city and made his way to Beacon. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed the smoke billowing out of the eastern segment of Vale.

"….What the hell?" he muttered.

The sounds of sirens and various police vehicles screaming down the road made both Kitty and Jaune raise an eyebrow.

"…Well…ok".

Jaune grunted as he passed through several lights. He entered the long highway for Beacon and floored the truck again, screaming past other vehicles. Within a good fifteen minutes they were at Beacon, the safest place that Jaune could (legally) take the girl. Kitty simply hopped out of the car, phasing through the door. Jaune went to open his and was annoyed at the fact that it remained stuck. He slammed his shoulder against the door. He stared blankly ahead of him and growled as he simply tore the door off with his strength.

"Had enough today damnit!" growled Jaune.

He turned to Kitty to get her moving but was surprised to find her struggling to walk. He sighed, remembering his own experiences after combat. Despite her complaints he lifted the child onto his shoulder and let her sit.

"We're going to meet my headmaster; he should be able to help you get back together with your mother."

Kitty nodded, the man's presence soothing her. Jaune ignored the looks from fellow students, staring at his bullet pierced clothes and the child on his shoulder. He walked through a few hallways, even getting Kitty a drink and snack from a vending machine, before finding an elevator. As he got began his ride a familiar presence jolted into Jaune's mind.

"Ozpin" thought Jaune with a smirk.

"You've returned!" stated Ozpin with relief "thank goodness. I apologize for the lack of communication…things have been…"

The man trailed off, leaving Jaune with feelings of irritation and annoyance.

"I'll explain in my office."

While the slow ride was annoying, it was worth it. Jaune smiled as Kitty phased through his body, suprisng the occupants in the room, and rushed to her mother. The woman was in tears as she held her daughter tightly to her.

"Katherine! Oh you're safe!"

Jaune smiled as he noticed his teammates in the room, each staring at him with open gratitude.

"I'm back" he stated.

Pyrrha smiled and nodded. Ren, stoic as ever, simply blinked with a smile. Nora was more…well Nora.

"Welcome back!" she yelled "I knew you'd make it home before the day ended! Yang owes me fifty lien!"

Jaune rolled his eyes as Nora shoulder hugged him. Ozpin took in the feelings of relief and happiness like it was a balm for his current attitude. A small smile formed on his face and he looked at Mrs. Pride.

"I told you Mrs. Pride that my student would keep her safe. With both of you here it will be easier to protect you."

With her daughter holding her hand Mrs. Pride smiled.

"Thank you for all the support you and your students have offered Headmaster Octavious. After what happened with the police and the slums I just…"

Ozpin smiled.
"I understand. The situation has certainly been perilous as of late. Glynda, can you please escort the family to one of the vacant suites?"

Glynda nodded and motioned for the family to follow her. As they left a crow flew into the room, transforming into a man. Qrow shook his head as he rolled his shoulders.

"That took forever" muttered Qrow.

Ozpin sighed as he rubbed his brow.

"I apologize for the lack of communication Jaune. The situation in Vale has taken a turn for the worse."

"Anything to do with the smoke up north?"

Ozpin nodded. Team JNPR moved to stand with their headmaster as the man tapped his cane on the floor. The holographic interface blinked to life, showing the northern fragment of Vale's main city blinking red.

"The hell happened?" muttered Jaune.

"The gang war happened."

Jaune blinked.

"I thought things were slow? Stable even?"

Qrow snorted.

"Yea right. Turns out both sides were hiding their aces so to speak. They each attacked each other and have been duking it out since that attack at the stadium."

"Attacked each other?" asked Pyrrha "but why?"

Qrow shrugged.

"There's something more going on obviously. The F.O.H has little need for territory. Might just be killing the Faunus on principle, stupid as that is. White Fang's goals might be similar. We don't know. What we do know is that someone or something lit the powder keg. The stadium was hit first by the F.O.H and than strike teams of White Fang soldiers started coming out of the wood work in the suicide slums. Using drones and stolen mechs against those human supremacists' bastards. The short of it simple. The situation has gone completely FUBAR. My nieces already got involved, against orders, and have been hospitalized by the White Fang. Thankfully those assholes haven't gotten a summer in their step or I might have been too late."

Ren rose an eyebrow.

"Don't you mean, spring in their step."

The man laughed drunkingly as he took a swig from some bottle.

"Right right."

Ozpin sighed in relief. Qrow's method of telling him about the summer maiden's absence was appreciated, if faulty in execution.

"Why is the team here than?" asked Ren "if team RWBY was not allowed in, I assume the rest is true for us?"

Ozpin shook his head.

"I cannot trust team RWBY with the mission I am about to give you. Their expertise lies solely in Grimm extermination. You four however have experience fighting humans and other such areas of expertise."

Ozpin turned to Ren and Nora.

"You two have experience navigating urban environments and keeping out of sight."

He turned to Pyrrha.

"your experience fighting human opponents should help you in subduing the enemy."

Finally he turned to Jaune, a grimace forming on his face.
"You are the reason I am sending the team in truthfully."

Jaune blinked.

Ah.

"It's because I've killed" stated Jaune.

Ozpin nodded, ignoring the shocked expression of the others.

"This has gone far beyond anything resembling a crime. This is a tragedy, one that is affecting the very citizens still trapped in the slums. Your mission is to retrieve those civilians. With their lives on the line I need a retrieval team that is capable of making quick judgement calls. I would prefer if the enemy is merely subdued…but if a civilians life is in danger I cannot afford for the team to hesitate. If needed…you are there to make those judgement calls."

Ozpin smiled, although it was tinged in sadness.

"I've seen you grow Jaune. I know that these judgements will not be made hastily any longer. I fear for the safety of you students…but right now you're the only ones that can be called in as a retrival team. The rest of the graduated huntsmen will be attacking the White Fang and F.O.H directly. They are already actively fighting them off. However, combat is far greater than expected. The numbers of both organizations exceed any projected limits."

Jaune smirked.

"Junior is probably involved. He'll be helping out in different ways."

Ozpin nodded.

"We know. He's been making escape routes for the civilians but his men are limited in number. It is taking everything he has to keep an opening in the perimeter."

Ozpin tapped his cane again, showing a solid blue outline in the crimson zones of the projected city.

"For some reason the two groups have been keeping the slums closed off from the rest of the city. Whatever is happening, it is something neither organization wants us to be aware of. I'm trying to gather an intel team now, but civilians are the priority."

Ren and the others swallowed.

"This…this is big" muttered Ren.

"But it is what we've signed up for" stated Pyrrha "to protect others from the Grimm and other threats."

Jaune rolled his shoulders.

"I'm ready to go, just need a bit of those meals that Rose made for me."

The food that he was referring to was rich in both mass, protein, and other various supplements that were designed to fuel Jaune's healing factor. While it would take a long time, Jaune's healing factor was technically capable of being overloaded. He wouldn't die, but would be suspended in a near death like state to slowly heal. At least, that was what rose hypothesized anyway. The boy survived being basically obliterated to just his torso and regenerated, science tended to go down the drain when that happened.

Jaune still obeyed her medical advice though.

"Good" smiled Ozpin "we'll be air dropping you within the hour…this is a grave task but I believe you can do it."

Ozpin smiled as they left. His heart shriveled at the thought of depending on children so young. His heart nearly burst into flames at the almost inconceivable rage he felt towards one man that forced this situation to occur.

"…you decided not to tell them?" asked Qrow.

"What would telling them about Ironwood do?" sighed Ozpin "they have almost no connection to the man. Even Jaune's interactions with him are limited. Not to mention that Ironwood is after his bones, not his services."

"That you're aware of" muttered Qrow.

Ozpin sighed.

"That I am aware of" he agreed. "informing them of Ironwood does nothing for them…he's far away…their focus should be….."

Ozpin's cane cracked under the force of his strength.

"I should be going in myself!" growled Ozpin "I can handle the situation in moments! Children should not be going into a warzone!"

Qrow shook his head.

"You're picking the best people for the job with the shittest hand possible. They're."

"I AM NOT OZMA! I refuse to make those same mistakes! There…there has to be something…anything!"

"Don't."

Qrow silenced the room with a word as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You know Ironwood and that ass Strange would be all over you the second you do. Ironwood would use your mutant abilities as an excuse to take control of Vale. Hell, maybe even raze the damn place to the ground. Strange would be an A-hole and state you're still that soul parasite or whatever. You are not Ozma…I know that and the people that are actually worth a damn know that."

Ozpin cringed at the notion.
"….I still am a parasite" sighed Ozpin.

Qrow shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that Oz. You said it yourself, the curse affected Ozma, not you."

Opzin sighed.

"But strange."

"Strange nothing" grunted Qrow "the idiot didn't even diagnose you. Barely said a word. I was there damnit! All he sensed was the magic you had at your disposal and went bonkers. Giving me and Raven our powers was a test to see if you'd regenerate mana, like his other hosts did. What happened?"

Ozpin smiled; his eyes relaxing.

"It didn't."

"That's right it didn't…everyone else goes out there afraid they're going to die. You go out there afraid that if you die, you'll devour some other soul against your will. The fact you stand ready…this is why both me and Raven follow you Ozpin."

"Raven…I still can't believe after all these years she's been underground."

Qrow sighed as he shook his head.

"Raven knew what she was doing Oz…I'm sorry that it took so long for us to come clean."

"Her family is in ruins…I'm a soul devoring parasite….Ironwood is a power hungry machine…and you're a drunk scarecrow…what a group we make" smiled Ozpin.

Qrow smirked.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. By the way, Raven told me to sack you if you go into another depression spiral."

"….I feel as if Summer would have an idea of what to do."

"She would…and it would be stupidly insane."

Ozpin laughed as he looked out his window, the sight of the city burning still bothering him.

"….I still think I should go."

Qrow shook his head.

"You would settle the city for like an hour before Ironwood destabilizes it again. Tin can already blackmailed a few of Vale's huntsmen teams to be unresponsive…the fucking asshole. We're working with less numbers than we should. How the fucker gets away with this shit is beyond me. You'd think all the back room deals would leak by now."

Ozpin rubbed his brow.

"I don't understand what he's after. Control? Power? He already rules all of Atlas from the shadows? What difference does it make if he rules the others?"

It was true. Regardless of what Ironwood believed, controlling the four kingdoms offered little strategic advantage. Their main enemy, Salem, was utterly immortal. The Grimm would spawn at the same rate regardless. Controlling all four kingdoms was truly a power fantasy.

"Salem may not even be our enemy" muttered Ozpin "What is Ironwood fighting."

The death of Ozma had…done something to the ancient witch. His one encounter with her leaving both himself and the Grimm woman shaken.

"The enemies we face have no need for a truly united response" sighed Ozpin "the kingdoms are in constant communication and work together seamlessly. There can be no greater unity aside from a singular government."

Qrow patted Ozpin on the shoulder.

"Buddy we've talked about this. The iron douche-bag is literally nuts. The allure of power has beguiled many a man."

Ozpin turned to his drunk friend.
"Did….did you just quote, me?"

Qrow burped. The nature of his magical abilities made getting drunk impossible. But the constant influx of alcohol gave the man a pleasant thrill. Qrow smirked at Ozpin.

"Raven's got the bandits across Minstral and Vacuo under control now for the most part. Hilariously enough she's been making crime in Minstrel plummet too. I know she wanted to talk…I'm sure she'd even send support if we ask."

Ozpin shook his head.

"She walks her own path" stated Ozpin "she undertook this mission without my knowledge because she felt that it was right. Wherever she is now…whatever she is doing…if she honestly believes in it…than it is best that we do not disrupt it unless absolutely necessary. I wish I trusted her all those years ago…but I'll trust her now."

Qrow nodded.

"Alright."

Ozpin clenched his cane to the point it shattered. Qrow patted his friend on the back again.

"I'll be with team JNPR on the ground as their go to. I'll have to split with them if I come across the secondary objectives but I'll be able to see first hand how they do in that war zone. Don't worry Oz, they'll be coming back alive."

Ozpin wanted to scold his friend for such an impossible to keep promise. But he let the false hope relax him. He nodded, accepting that going out now would truly cause more harm in the future. That didn't stop him from protecting the civilians from the shadows. Ozpin grimaced as he used his abilities to generate a telekinetic barrier around the civilians in the slums. It took time and an immense amount of concentration, but he would save as many as he could alongside his students.

"Qrow, get me my chair."

Qrow blinked and nodded, rushing out to get the chair and notify Glynda.

The game had begun…the pieces set…but this was not the only game afoot.

-Within the mountains of Vacuo-

A raven-haired woman grunted as she moved through the paths, reaching a shimmering veil of magic seen only by those blessed with it. With a grunt she broke the spell and entered the hall. What was once just a winding path now revealing a swirling mass of green energy. She stepped through it and found herself in a house.

"So" muttered the woman "this is the house of strange."

"I prefer if you think of it as the Academy of Magic" stated a calm voice.

"You strange?" smirked the woman.

The man narrowed his eyes. His dark hair, tinged with silver, and his deep brown eyes gave a sense of wisdom to a man that was otherwise only in his thirties.

"That would be I, yes. You're Raven Branwen…the maiden of spring that's been attacking my students."

Raven scoffed.

"You're a delusional ass" she growled "I've had to fend off your so called students in the middle of their witch hunts for the maidens. What's wrong? Need all the magic?"

Strange blinked, the sigils around his body faltering.

"Excuse me?"

Raven binked.

"Your men…the ones hunting women across the kingdom? Assassinating Ozpin, well trying anyways. Tried to kill me, my husband, our girlfriend, and our kids? Ring a bell asshole?"

Strange blinked.

"...What on Remnant are you talking about? You've been killing my students for the last several years! We did nothing to you or that parasite!?"

"You literally bombed his home in Northern Vale!" growled Raven.

"Why on earth would I kill the damn soul parasite!? He'd just jump to another victim!"

Raven blinked. A fair point. The memory of the knight her daughter was almost stabbed in her sleep replaying in her mind.

"….Your students wear all black? Lead by a woman with amber eyes and fire magic?"

Strange blinked.

"…my students wear their own colors and no central uniform."

The two looked at each other as the tension in the room increased.

"…Well fuck" muttered Raven.

They'd been played.

Chapter End!

The world expands as the game goes beyond the realm of Vale! Salem taking a backseat!? Cinder taking a frontal role!? What the fuck is going on!? Find out more in the coming future chapters of Ultimate Weapon!

Next Update: The Arcane Craftsman!
Current placements for new stories (Round 1)

1st - Fate/Clover with 58 votes: Ok what the hell guys XD This story has an incredible lead over all others with a story background that is dubious at best. As such I have gone effectively super Saiyan creating some new "Rules" regarding the magic systems at play here (nothing stupid like Archer gaining godhood or Mereleona becoming "Weaker" than Archer. Mereleona will be more than Archer's equal but they will be stronger and weaker in certain areas when compared to each other. Sometimes Mereoleona wins other times Archer wins. Find out more below!), lore background, characterization, and end points for plot! Be happy folks, the end as been predesigned, the middle ground ready to go, and the beginning actually written out (just a few pages). If this book wins, it will be ready to go in short order! Seriously though wtf, why is this winning XD. Love the support.

2nd – Fate/WTf with 35 votes: Trailing behind significantly this is the second-place story. An ending has yet to be decided on but the beginning is well thought out.

3rd – Journey Remake with 34 votes: Did not expect this to actually gain traction, so I'm happy that this occurred regardless of this story's placement.

4th – Endure with 20 votes: With such lacking voting this story has been put on the backburner. It's been axed folks and taken out of the running. Have no fear my Academia fans for another My Hero Story shall take its place! You have another chance to see your Fandom rise to the top!

5th: EMPTY, will be filled (Check out below!): The story was cut to do a major length issue. A new story will take this ones place.

Stories To Vote for in Round Two! (In order of current placement!) Unlike the last round of information this will contain more analysis into what goes on into the story. There are three parts.

A redone summary, for a different perspective.

Genre and Warning tags, to help create a greater understanding.

An "expansion" section, where I will expand on certain warnings and ideas that I feel need addressing or reassurance.

Current #1: Fate/Clover

The Grail was bullshit. The war was over. EMIYA had seen this happen a thousand times. It was more than that but he forgot the countless other times he had watched this same scene play out. Then the Grail decided to be bullshit. Long story short both himself and his younger counterpart found themselves dragged into a mystical singularity that absorbed the both of them. They should be dead. Well, his younger self should be dead and EMIYA obliterated by the paradox. Instead, he wakes up in a new world drenched in so much mana that the servant should have exploded from the pressure alone. Instead, he's mortal, alive, and thriving in an environment that should have otherwise killed him.

Neat.

Magic was different. The world was different. He was different. Things have not started well for EMIYA. Surviving in the environment was tricky without access to his magical abilities, but that issue was solved pretty quickly. Survival became less of a chore. The silence was a godsend even. Than…she showed up.

"Let's fight!"

Emiya sighed as he rubbed his brow. Why was it always him?

"Damn you E rank Luck"

Genres/warning tags: Romance (Slow-Burn), Survival, World building, Magic System expanded, typical anime bullshit, Fuck Canon (XD), versatile but not OP, Calls himself Archer. Asta has magic! (Sort of). Ki gets an upgrade baby! Also follows Fanon rules for you Fate sticklers out there. Don't like it, than feel free to vote for a different story this time around!

Expansion: Asta will have magic but not in the way in that it gives him special abilities or anything. One of the concerns I've had with watching Black Clover is that absolutely everyone had magic. EVERYONE. It is stated a few times that the environment is filled with mana. Drenched in it even. As such Archer will question why a boy, who has no internal mana whatsoever, can survive in an environment filled with such energy? The magic system that I will implement and expand in the story into three major types. Positive, Neutral, and Negative magic. Everyone normally uses positive magic, Yami and Asta use KI (technically but not really neutral magic), and Anti-Magic falls under the Negative magic category. This will be expanded greatly in the story and I'll answer any and all questions (outside of plot elements) to anyone who is interested. It is not a central part of the story though, so don't expect Asta and Yami to be belting out God like super moves just because Ki gets a more in-depth upgrade.

Current #2: Fate/WTF

What the fuck. No seriously what the fuck. The first thing Archer noticed when he woke up was that he was naked and that he was like 12. Both were annoying, but together painted a rather bleak picture. To be honest, Archer had kind of looked around for that nut Bluebeard. When he realized that he was safe he questioned his sanity. His mission, as assigned by Alaya, was to effectively push Arturia even further in her contract with the "world" and become a fellow counter guardian. Archer was adamantly against this. But as a contracted soul for Alaya…he had little choice. For the first time since his contracting Archer fought against his summoning. Every once of will that Archer possessed had derailed the summoning for a meager second. A second that went horribly wrong. Feeling as if his spiritual body was but through a blender, Archer awoke to his current circumstances. Naked, alone, and in a forest surrounded by wolves.

Did he mention that he was alive? Somehow.

Things were not looking good. Lesser men would have simply faded to the background. He was not a lesser man. For Archer had a goal. His goal was to ensure that against all odds, that Camelot remained standing for as long as Arturia lived. She would not be betrayed by the idiots that surrounded her. Morgan would not have the chance to rise against her. With god as his fucking witness Archer would stand by her side till the end of damn time if he needed to…all to see the smile grace her features once more…all to see her live and die a happy a life as she possibly could. So that her sould may rest in peace.

Archer would fight fate…cause like all great heroes would say.

Fuck Fate.

.now where could he find some damn pants? And a village to boot.

Genre & Warnings: Romance(?), Archer is biased against the knights of the round (especially Tristan), Archer decks Morgan in her shit, Archer flips Merlin the bird (not really), Archer becomes embroiled in the court of Guinevere before she marries Arturia. Archer is forced to describe sexuality? Archer is a "miracle healer" (hurray for soap and magically created anti-biotics/super tea XD). A magician that actively engages in the battlefield (unlike Merlin). Has a justified dislike of Merlin, gets along with Fou!

Expansion: Archer basically be decking Morgan in her shit. Unlike Merlin, Archer actually pays attention when someone BREAKS INTO THE CASTLE. Archer will live in a village for a time "testing" how far he can push fate (an excuse to save people). He ends up becoming the court Wizard of Guinevere's father (whose name eludes me). This is how he will become connected to Arturia's knight of the round, as Guinevere's personal knight.

Archer will also discuss the meaning of sexuality to Guinevere and what it means, while laughing at the church. Expect awkward Arturia as Archer realizes that while she looks the same, there is a difference between the mature and in her twenties Arturia that he met in the grail war, and the sixteen- to nineteen-year-old who has just begun leading their country (AWKWARD XD). Expect hilarity, hijinks, deep emotional moments, a reaming of Merlin, a complete reaming of Morgana, and the utter disrespect of several knights (especially Tristian). Gawain is my bro though so he's cool, Lancelot…..he's not so safe XD.

Current #3: Journey Remake

Witchers. An ancient caste of mutated warriors that fought the monsters of the world. They used to be common through-out the kingdoms, having been around beyond recorded history. However, they did not inspire respect. These Witchers derived their name from an old Valish Phrase: The monster that hunts monsters.

Stories of how they kidnaped children to add to their numbers frightened the good folk of the Kingdoms. The ancient laws, especially the law of surprise, binding the once superstitious people. Most damning of all was the lack of aura. Witchers lacked the ability to ignite their aura for combat, leading to the superstition that they lacked souls. Yet, it did not stop people from depending on these created warriors. Hated, ostracized, and yet depended on. This was a history that the Witchers of old had shouldered for hundreds of years. The method for creating new Witchers having been forgotten long ago…or so it should have been.

A new Witcher has been born. Kidnapped from his family to enact the wish of one crazed Witcher. A wish to be human again. Subjected to mutagens, new formula, and the madness and genius of one scientist, a new Witcher had been created. Stronger, Faster, more magically attuned than ever before. This was the Ultimate Witcher…the true last of his kind. For no more will be made after him. Subjected to a horrific alteration of his childish body, the boy yet man rushed home. But all he found was rejection and disbelief. The only place to call his own was the place that tore it all from him in the first place. With cunning, intelligence, and plenty of luck Jaune slayed the Witcher who kidnapped him with the help of an old wolf. The old wolf took him under his wing, teaching him, training him, honing the boy into a man. Into a Witcher.

But this was a Witcher beyond his forebearers. This was a Witcher that extolled the virtues that most of his kin and pushed aside. Courage, Justice, Mercy, Generosity, Integrity, Nobility, and Hope. The Knightly Virtues that once guided the Witchers of old. He swore to be a force for the people, so that others would not suffer the ilk of evil once more. Beaten and jaded through many adventures over several years, Jaune Arc still holds fast to these ideals. Now he finds himself called to the city of Vale in the midst of being overrun. Monsters from under the earth have awoken, the forests teem with spirits, and darkness of the city hides creatures of the night.

Oh hear the bell toll, oh City of Vale, for a Witcher we call…

For a Witcher we need.

Genre: Somber tone, adventure, dark, investigates racism and stereotypes, non-binary Jaune, limited magic but can be overcharged with aura, stronger regeneration, apex Witcher, Salem is neutral, Ozpin is a dick, Amber is alive, Cinder…eh not so much.

Also fuck Canon.

Expansion: The tone for this story overall is a much darker and somber take. It will…lack the energy the others have had. It will take a more sedated pace with combat being an analytical and steady procedure. That is not to say that the writing will be slow though. Second, due to the laws of RWBY Jaune is stronger than an average Witcher. However, monsters will be stronger as well. Certain beasts, allows him to uses limited physical magic and aura. Through the use of aura, he is able to overcharge his use of signs for greater power. However, this will leave him unable to conjure the corresponding sign for some time. Aura, magic, potions, and traps will be a common theme of Jaune's fighting style.

Jaune is non-binary. This is mostly due to the design of the character "Jaune" overall. I realized that they really didn't care for the terms "male" or "female" when they referred to themselves. Neither fit. They like mostly masculine things but that is mostly because they find dresses to be overly stylish and cumbersome rather than because it is "girly". They are mostly attracted to the female form but I havn't seen any attraction to masculine characters as of yet in my character designs. However, that may change as the writing goes forward.

Third, the whole chuuni abandoned family issue. I will declare this one story element so people understand. Jaune was literally grown from a 8 year old boy to a fully developed adult. He fined his family literally months after he disappears by a Witcher. He returns, white haired, wolfish blue eyes, and a voice that shakes fucking rocks. The dude, quite literally, does not look anything like his parents at a first glance. Yet, he comes barging in on a family that has yet to come to terms with losing their son. Their rejection of Jaune has less to do with "oh no he's a monster" to "what the fuck? Why the hell is an adult pretending to be a child?". If Jaune had arrived a year later…perhaps things might have played out differently. But high emotions, a changed man (literally), and an entire demeanor shift due to trauma, and well I doubt anyone would look at Jaune like he was the eight-year-old boy he was FIVE months ago. Please, your thoughts on this idea are always welcome.

NEW #4: Shadow Monarch (Solo Levelling + My Hero Academia Fic)

To born quirk less is to be born ridiculed by society itself. To be born with a strong quirk is to be exalted. To be born with a quirk that is "dark", is to be condemned. Izuku felt all three, in that order. As a child he was taken to a doctor and formally diagnosed as quirkless. However, Izuku was quick to display not days later, his shadow bubbling. It spiked and moved and for once in his life Izuku truly felt like he was a part of his class. His mother smiled in relief, Kaa-chan laughed and welcomed him, and his classmates were tolerable. Until they found a kitten. It was a cute thing, adorable. Izuku and his friends always stopped by to take care of it. But one day they found it dead, alone and beaten. It was a tragedy, a detestable and horrific tragedy for ones so young. Izuku hated it, hated how the shadows around the small animal screamed of pain and loneliness. With a cry Izuku reached out…and the cat responded.

The beginning of the end for Izuku's normal days. Everyone suddenly became cold towards him. It did not matter that the kitten was seemingly made of shadows and energy. It was now an "evil" quirk that Izuku possessed. A quirk that he had inherited from a father that had left him and his mother. He could have turned to villainy. After all, that was what society wanted. He gave up on UA, finding a new path instead. A path…of justice. After years of schooling, of countless victories born from his wit and intelligence, Izuku had become a world renowned lawyer for human and quirk law. But in those years Izuku learned the truth. The truth of his father. The truth of the world. The truth of what lengths he would have to go to protect his world.

This is the adventure of Izuku Midoriya and how he became the successor to the title of "Monarch of Shadows". Of how he inherited the title from none other than his father. Of how he protected the world from the shadows.

Genre/Warning: Slice of life, adventure, romance, Witty, Sarcastic, and a bit of an ass Izuku. Treats the Meta-Liberation Army and their ideology like a child's toy, is a dick (in a good way) in court, NO GAMER ELEMENTS, learns various magics, travels between dimensions, expands army, hides true strength, Ochako and Momo are met. Filthy rich Izuku. Iri fluff and adorableness ensues.

Expansion: This Izuku will be a sassy bitch basically. He has no time for anyone's shit and isn't up for the hero committees' ideas of government corruption. His quirk is legally called "Nevermore" and is classified as creating shadow puppets from the corpses of the dead, rather than subjecting a soul into his shadow as a servant. Circumstances will be shown to help develop and showcase Izuku's strength. While combat and adventure are visible this can be taken as a slice of life story that delves into the ideas of My Hero Academia. He'll viciously rip apart the meta-liberation front's ideology for what it basically is. The strong control the weak. They have points yes, but ultimately their decision to use violence indicates the true scope of their supposed ideology. This Izuku will be closing gates that open up naturally in this world, with quirks being a by product of magical energy slowly being leaked onto earth.

NEW #5: Fate 0.5

Servants can be called into a variety of classes. Some classes are ill-suited for a servant's full capabilities. The Archer servant EMIYA is one such example. In a unique variant of the fourth holy grail war, the counter guardian EMIYA is summoned into his ultimate class. The caster class. With a class that bolsters his magical abilities and fills in the gaps through the grail, EMIYA is supported enough to show just how dangerous a caster class servant can truly be. But he is not alone in this optimal upgrade. For it was not Ryuunoske that summoned him. For the man that summoned EMIYA was none other than Kariya, the uncle of Sakura. With a class that bolsters his magical talent, strong reinforcement, and his trusty reality marble at his side, EMIYA (Caster) is poised to completely shake the grail war as they know it.

Especially since the grail is not his goal whatsoever. How will mages fair against a master and a servant who care little for the grail? For a duo that will kill anything that crosses their path along the way to their goals? This was not his original world. EMIYA knew that. But this was not an EMIYA summoned as an Archer or a Saber. This was an EMIYA summoned at his "peak" an EMIYA that had made peace with what he was. Sakura and Illya would be saved…

Even if he had to kill his own damn father to do it.

Genre/Warning: Romance(ish but not with Archer), "older" Archer, still prefers to be called Archer, manipulative Archer, powerful Archer, cry-baby spear dude whose name is not worth remembering gets absolutely destroyed, fuck canon, Sakura is doted and cared for, dark, Berserker Blue beard.

Expansion: First things first. Yes, Berserker Bluebeard is possible. His noble phantasm (that book thing) is what is responsible for his magecraft not his actual ability. As such even as a Berserker Bluebeard is capable of concise magic. He was an absolute nut-ball as a caster so as a Berserker he'll be fine. Expect ramifications for his increased consumption though. Archer is also different in the respect that he has clear goals and all the experience he had gain through Chaldea. The story focuses on Archer saving Illya and Sakura. As such expect the length to be roughly 12 chapters. Romance simply refers to the relationship between Kiritsigu and Irisviel. Spear boy that cries like a bitch (A.K.A heroic spirit I refuse to remember) will be downright ridiculed and mocked. Two reasons for this. First, his reasoning faulty and retarded. Second the man is quite literally an idiot. As a knight of the red rose (I think) he has access to the death match curse. If he was so interested in "honorable duels" he'd just invoke that thing and call it a day…not that it would work on Saber I think? He makes a show of being subservient to his master cause he fucked his previous master's wife and felt bad for it. All the while complaining that the mark cursed his fate.

Wear a mask you whiny bitch. God. (I am aware that a mask would likely do little to impede that idiot's curse but I like to bitch none the less XD) Besides it takes two to have sex. Just runaway or avoid her. The fact you got laid is 100% on you and not your curse. He's a whiney friggen baby.

He will be treated as such….I think I have a problem with this guy XD.

Also Archer will be a massive troll and leave people guessing as to what his class is and his identity.

Have fun voting guys!